The Cooperation: Helping SAIs Challenge Their Environment

Mr. Ole Schøyen became the new head of the INTOSAI-Donor Secretariat in June 2017. The Cooperation’s main focus is on the new round of the Global Call for Proposals, and in the coming years Tier 2, a specialized initiative to scale up support for the most challenged Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), will be underscored.

“In many countries, we see that SAIs are being challenged by their environments. The hope for our Global Call for Proposals Tier 2 support is that we can help the SAIs to such an extent that they are no longer challenged by their environment. We want them to turn the tables, to be in a position to challenge their environment. We want to see challenging SAIs, not challenged ones.”—Ole Schøyen.

The new round of the Global Call for proposals (GCP) has been launched! In response to concerns noted in the GCP 2015 evaluation, the GCP now has two tiers. GCP Tier 1 invites Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) to send concept notes for matching (it is now a rolling process with no deadlines for submissions). GCP Tier 2 intends to target the most challenged SAIs, which are most in need of scaled-up and strengthened support.

The new targeted approach aims to provide more intense support to the most challenged SAIs struggling with designing and implementing strategic capacity development programs, particularly SAIs in fragile and conflict environments. GCP Tier 2 (T2) is designed to support SAI’s across the entire strategic management cycle—from needs assessment and strategic planning through program design, implementation and evaluation.

T2 focuses on creating long term partnerships between SAIs, donors and those providing support along with strengthened coordination and monitoring by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI)-Donor Secretariat.

The T2 committee, consisting of development cooperation members formed to oversee the new T2 proposal, is now finalizing the list of SAIs that will form T2. Thirty-six prospective SAIs from countries spreading across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean and the Pacific were identified and 18 were invited to participate in the T2 program based on specific criteria.

Engaging donor community and other support providers to stimulate T2 initiative interest is underway. At the recent “Auditing Preparedness for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” meeting jointly coordinated by the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) and the United Nations (UN) held at UN headquarters in New York, a common theme arose—“No One Left Behind.”

Adopting this motto and thinking of ways to assist in delivering much-needed support is crucial.

“Every mickle mek a muckle.” This Jamaican proverb says it all. Translated it means, “Small portions eventually add up to be a big slice.” So, no proposed support is too small.

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